[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7156-7157]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02601]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Licensing of Private Remote-Sensing Space Systems

AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before April 11, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0174 in the subject line of your 
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise 
sensitive or protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Tahara Dawkins, Director, Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory 
Affairs, 1335 East-West Highway, G101, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; 
301-713-3385; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This is a request for revision and extension to an approved 
information collection.
    The Department of Commerce (DOC), through the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory 
Affairs (CRSRA), has the authority to regulate private space-based 
remote sensing under the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, 51 
U.S.C. 60101 et seq. (the Act) and regulations at 15 CFR part 960. The 
regulations facilitate the development of the U.S. private remote 
sensing industry and thus promote the collection and widespread 
availability of remote sensing data, while preserving essential U.S. 
national security interests and observing international obligations.
    Applications are made in response to the requirements in the Act, 
as amended, and no collection forms are used. The application 
information received is used to determine if the applicant meets the 
legal criteria for issuance of a license to operate a private remote 
sensing space system, i.e., the proposed system will be operated in 
accordance with the Act, U.S. national security concerns and 
international obligations. Application information includes information 
about the applicant (such as corporate information), the launch dates 
of any components going to space, and technical specifications of all 
components (especially the components in space that are capable of 
collecting imagery data).
    If a licensee wishes to modify its license, either to reflect 
changes in its business practices or technical changes to its system, 
or to request different license conditions, it may submit such a 
request to CRSRA and explain why the change is sought. CRSRA need this 
information to be able to keep licenses accurate and to respond to the 
regulated community's needs.
    Licensees are required to notify CRSRA when a spacecraft launches 
or deploys; upon disposal of an on-orbit component of the licensed 
system; upon detection of an anomaly; and upon the licensee's financial 
insolvency or dissolution. This information is critical to fulfilling 
one of the United States' key international obligations, which is to 
authorize and continually supervise U.S. nationals' activities in 
space. CRSRA, therefore, must be notified when spacecraft are deployed 
and disposed of so that CRSRA can supervise the space activities of 
U.S. nationals. Similarly, anomalies may indicate loss of control of a 
spacecraft, so CRSRA must monitor any anomalies to meaningfully 
supervise the activities of U.S. nationals in space. Finally, the 
financial insolvency or dissolution of a licensee may indicate that a 
change in control of the spacecraft will follow, because an insolvent 
licensee may go through a bankruptcy process that might put the 
licensed system's ownership in question. It is critical that CRSRA be 
able to intervene as early as possible in this process so that a 
sensitive system does not pass into the ownership of an entity who 
might jeopardize national security or international obligations.
    CRSRA will require licensees to submit an annual compliance 
certification, which requires the licensee to verify that all facts in 
the license remain true. Facts that must be verified in this 
certification include the technical specifications of the system and 
other foundational facts that CRSRA relies upon in reviewing license 
applications. This information is critical to ensuring that only those 
entities who are legally fit to obtain a license do so.
    NOAA is proposing to add two additional forms to this information 
collection. The optional information is being collected to reduce the 
total paperwork required to support regulation of the private space-
based remote sensing industry, which involves (1) determining whether 
an applicant is required to apply for a license and (2) comparing the 
capabilities of remote sensing systems to other foreign and domestic 
remote sensing systems.
    The optional Initial Contact Form (ICF) information includes 
contact information and general remote sensing system information. The 
ICF may be submitted electronically through the NOAA website prior to 
the submission of a full application. The ICF information received is 
used to determine if the applicant is required to submit a full 
application for the issuance of a license to operate a private remote 
sensing space system i.e., the proposed system falls under the 
authority defined in the Act and the regulations. If NOAA determines 
after reviewing the ICF that an application is not required, the 
potential applicant will save 40-50 hours of paperwork by

[[Page 7157]]

not submitting the application. Additionally, the ICF gives NOAA the 
opportunity to provide early feedback and guidance on an application 
package, lowering the likelihood of time-consuming rewrites and edits 
to an application before it can be deemed complete. Therefore, the ICF 
can save significant time for industry and private entities, as well as 
government time.
    The optional Data Availability Notification (DAN) information 
includes contact information and general data availability information. 
The DAN may be submitted electronically through the NOAA website during 
the application process, while an applicant holds a license, or by any 
interested party. The DAN information received is used to help 
determine the availability of unenhanced data from a foreign or 
domestic remote sensing system, which may then be compared to 
unenhanced data produced by an applicant's system for the purpose of 
adjusting the conditions and/or restrictions in a license. The DAN form 
ensures that only required information is submitted, thereby reducing 
unnecessary paperwork and/or follow-up correspondence.

II. Method of Collection

    Information is collected electronically through the NOAA website.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0174.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular (revision and extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 hours for the submission of a 
license application; 1 hour each for the submission of a license 
amendment, notification of disposal of on-orbit component, notification 
of detection of anomaly, and notification of financial insolvency or 
dissolution; 2 hours each for notification of launch or deployment of 
spacecraft and the annual compliance certification; 20 minutes for the 
Initial Contact Form; and 10 minutes for the Data Availability 
Notification.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 450 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory. The ICF and DAN are voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, 51 U.S.C. 
60101 et seq; and 15 CFR part 960--Licensing of Private Remote Sensing 
Space Systems.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-02601 Filed 2-7-22; 8:45 am]
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